Claude Miller’s ‘Therese D’ to close Cannes

Fest to honor French helmer who died April 4

Audrey Tautou starrer “Therese Desqueyroux” (“Therese D.”), the last film from late French helmer Claude Miller, will unspool on the closing night of the Cannes Film Festival.

Miller, who died April 4 after suffering from a long illness, had just completed the film, based on Francois Mauriac’s novel of the same name.

Also unspooling in the festival is the redux cut of Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in America,” restored by Italy’s Bologna Cinematheque in collaboration with Martin Scorsese’s the Film Foundation and Gucci.

The 1984 gangster epic starring Robert De Niro and James Woods has been fully restored under the supervision of the pic’s original sound editor, Fausto Ancillai using digital techniques.

In a statement, the fest said, “By dedicating the closing night to him, the Festival de Cannes, along with his family, friends, producers, and distributers, is very pleased to pay tribute to the memory of Claude Miller.”

“Therese D.” will open Nov. 21 in France. TF1 Intl. handles international sales.

“Once Upon a Time in America” redux, with 40 minutes added to the original 229, will unspool on the Croisette in a gala event on May 18.

The long-gestating restoration project was shepherded by Leone’s children, Andrea and Raffaella, who acquired Italian rights to “Once Upon a Time in America” from Arnon Milchan’s New Regency.